The Youth Football Association hosted its Annual Presentation Night for the 2011-2012 season at The Palace Hotel in Sliema. Over 250 officials, coaches and players representing all the member nurseries attending this event and they had the opportunity to mingle socially with each other and meet personally with the Youth FA Council Members and MFA Officials.
Fr. Hilary Tagliaferro, started his speech by thanking the Malta FA, in particular the President, Norman Darmanin Demajo and the CEO, Bjorn Vassallo who during the past season continued to support the Youth FA. He also thanked all the nursery officials, coaches and players who attended this event, a record number of attendees, which augurs well for the forthcoming season.
The Youth FA President reminded those present that the 2011-2012 season had marked the introduction of the U/13 In?obb il-futbol, which was a success and enabled more children to play football and improve their talents. He continued that the vast majority of the nurseries understood the real importance of this new event, although some others persisted in treating it as another competition.
Fr.Hilary comtinued by recalling the reforms for the forthcoming season, mainly the introduction of the Medical Protocol for all the children and young adults training with the member nurseries and the inclusion of young irregular imingrants in the Youth FA leagues, as part of the Football Social Responsability of the Associotion and its philosophy – ‘We Care’.
The Youth FA President concluded his speech by thanking the sponsors, APS Bank, Gatorade (Farsons), Panini (Anastasi) and Minister Tonio Fenech (National Lotteries Good Causes Fund) for their long standing support and dedication.
The Malta FA President started his speech by retaliating the Association’s vision and priorities to assist the Grassroots level as this is the basis and essence of the beautiful game. Norman Darmanin Demajo continued that the emphasis for this season will be to continue assisting the technical aspects of the game, by assisting the coaches to further their football education.
It was then the turn for the highlight of the evening, the presentation of the various awards by YFA President Fr. Hilary Tagliaferro, MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo, MFA Technical Director Robert Gatt and APS Bank official Mr. Patrick Aquilina.
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The winners of the honours for season 2011/12 were:
Under 17
Section A: Winners Hamrun, Runners-Up Paola Hibs
Section B: Winners Melita, Runners-Up San Gwann
Section C1: Winners Zejtun, Runners-Up Gzira
Section C2: Winners Sta. Venera, Runners-Up Kirkop
Section C3: Winners Zebbug, Runners-Up Lija – Iklin
Good Causes Fund Trophy: Winners Hamrun, Finalists Paola Hibs
Best Player: Ryan Spiteri (Hamrun)Under 15
Section A: Winners St. Andrew, Runners-Up Floriana
Section B: Winners Gozo, Runners-Up Mosta
Section C1: Winners Birzebbugia, Runners-Up Lija / Iklin
Section C2: Winners Zurrieq, Runners-Up Cottonera
Section C3: Winners Zejtun, Runners-Up Siggiewi
Good Causes Fund Trophy: Winners Sliema, Finalists St. Andrews
Best Player: Juan Corbolan (Floriana)
Meanwhile the fixtures for the first part of season 2012/13, covering September to December have just been released.